Truss-pad



(No Model.)

J. GARCIA. TRUSS PAD.

No. 449,473. Patented M41. 3,1, 1891.

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W/TNESSES /N VENTOH W QQ -Qewc 4 .1/14%@ A TTOHNEYS present constructed owing to the lack of pro ment-ed to the roughened outer face of the the pad when in condition to be worn and UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GARCIA, OF PATERSON, NET JERSEY.

TRUSS-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,473, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed October 31, 1890.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GARCIA, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Truss-Pad, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in truss-pads, and has for itsv object to provide a means whereby the pad may be conveniently and expeditiously iilled with a liquid or with air as often as desired, and wherein also the interior of the pad may be effectually and thoroughly cleaned when necessary, thus preserving the rubber bag or sack constituting the inner face of the pad from the rapid decay which takes place in pads as at vision made to gain access to the interior.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar Iigures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the pad, illustrating the attachments thereto adapted for cleaning and lling the saine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pad ready for use; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through showing a modification in the attaching means.

The pad consists of a plate 10, which constitutes thc outer face, and a bag or sack 11, of flexible material, such as rubber, which constitutes the inner face. The rubber sack is attached to the back of the plate 10 in any suitable or approved manner, the joint being a water tight one.

In the drawings the joint is represented as effected through the medium of a flange 12, formed upon the inner face ot the plate 10 near the margin thereof and extending around the said plate, the outer face ot' which iiange is corrugated, luted, or otherwise roughened. The outer edges of the sack or bag 11 are ceange, and as an additional security the edges of the sack are bound to the ange by means of wire or silk threads 13. At one side of the Serial No. 369,944. (No model.)

center of the plate 10 an opening is iliade, which is surrounded by an inwardly-extending sleeve 14, the bottom of which sleeve is closed except at its central portion where-an aperture l5 is produced. The sleeve li forms, essentially, a well, in the bottom of which a washer or gasket 1G is laid apertured to eorrespond to the bottoni ot' the sleeve. The upper inner surface of the sleeve is threaded to receive a hollow valve-plug 17. The plug is ext-eriorly threaded at its upper end, and at its lower end, which is closed, it is ot less diameter than at its upper or threaded portion. The shape of the interior of the plug is rectangular or polygonal, and in the sides thereof in its lower or reduced portion one or more apertures 18 are produced. The bottoni of the plug, when it is screwed as far inward as possible, rests upon the washer or'f gasket 1G and closes the aperture in the bottoni of the well. The valve-plug is inanipulated by means of a hollow key 19, which is introduced therein, as shown in Fig. l, the upper end of the key having attached thereto a tube 20, connected with any approved forni of pump. At the opposite side of the center of the plate 10 a threaded aperture is made normally closed by a stop-plug 2l. Vhen the plug is removed, a tube 22, of metal or other approved substance, is introduced for a purpose hereinafter described, or a thiinble may be screwed into the opening and the tube screwed upon the tliiiiible. If the pad is to be connected with a fiexible strap 253-- as leather, forinstance-an opening is made in the center surrounded by an inwardly-extending sleeve 24, closed at its lower end and interiorly threaded, into which sleeve and aperture a screw 25 is inserted, passed through the strap 23,as shown in Figs. l and 2. lVhen, however, the pad is to be connected with a metal strap, as shown in Fig. 3, a nut 26 is swiveled in the center of the plate 10, the inner end of the nut being covered' by a shell 27 to prevent the escape of liquid or air that may be contained in the sack or bag. The nut is provided with a diametrical channel 2S of sutlicient width to receive the metal strap, and the nut and strap are rigidly connected by a-set-screw 29 or its equivalent passed downward through the nut to an en-` gageinent with t-hemstrap.

IOO

In the operation of lilling the pad the plug 21 is screwed in its aperture and the key 19 is introduced into the plug-valve, and said valve is unscrewed sufficiently to remove it 5 from its scat. The upper end of the key is then connected with the force-pump and the water is forced through the. key into the valve and through the aperture of said valve, from whence it passes around the exterior' of io the valve and downward through the opening in the washer 1U and the bottom of the sleeve 14 into the bag or sack 11. Vhen the bag or sack has been illed, the plug-valve is screwed downward to its seat and the key is t5 removed. In order to thoroughly clean the interior of the bag or sack, the plug 2l is removed and the tube 22 is substituted. The plug-valve 17 is then opened in the manner above described, and water is forced'into the 2o sack through the valve, and as the fresh water enters the sack the stagnant or stale water is forced upward and out through the tube 22.

It is evident that the device is simple in its construction, and that the sack may be read- 25 ily filled with water or with air at any time desired, and that with equal facility and dispatch the interior of thesack may be emptied and cleaned.

Having thus described' my invention, I

3o claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a truss-pad, the combination, with the face-plate 10, having an integral threaded welllt on its inner face provided with an aperture in its bottom, of a tubular valve-plug adapted to screw into the well 111 flush with the outer face of the plate 10 and having a lateral opening and a closed inner end to close the opening 15, an annular space being formed between the lower portion ot' the plug and well, and the upper end of the bore of the plug being angular to receive a turningkey, substantially as set forth.

2. In a truss, the combination, with the face-plate 10, having on its inner or lower face an integral well 14, provided with an opening. 15 and an apertured gasket 16, of the tubular plug 17, screwed into the well fiush with the upper side of the plate 10 and having a lateral aperture 18 and a closed lower end, an annular space being formed in the lower part of the well around the plug and the bore of the plug at its upper open end being squared, and the removable tubular key 19, open at both ends and squared at its lower end to enter the said plug, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the apertured face-plate 10 and the bag or sack secured thereto, of the nut 26, swiveled in the aperture of the face-plate and having a transverse opening 28, and a set-screw 29 intersecting the same, the shell 27 on the inner face of the plate 10 inclosing the inner end of the nut, substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH GARCIA.

Witnesses:

ROBERT E. VAN HovENBERe, ALFRED A. VAN HOVENBERG. 

